Tuesday, December 11

I am the first to admit that I suck at getting out birthday cards on time, let alone getting them out at all.So, one of my resolutions for 2008 is to try and be more timely in my life.Get to places on time.Call people when I say I will.Get cards out to people at least in the month their birthday is.

I love to be functionally crafty, so I thought I would make up a little reminder book to track all these birthdates in order to get a little more organized.This is the same way I make most books.All from scratch and all super easy and cheap.

So, if you want to make up a little Xmas list book, it was done the same exact way but with 2 covers instead of one.

Birthday Book Tutorial

1. Cut out Chipboard (you can use a cereal box, those work great too!) for the cover.Measurements are 4" x 10".Cut the paper you would like for the cover as well.Measurements are 5.25" x 11.25".

2. With a glue stick or tape runner, stick your chipboard to your paper and snip the corners like so. 3. Score along the edges of the chipboard.4. Place double sided super sticky strip all along the four sides. You really need the sticky strip for this so that it will stay put forever.

5. Fold in all four sides. I like to do top and bottom first, then the sides.6. The snipping of the corners gives you nice mitered corners for that finished look, all nice and neat. 7. Next you will need another piece of paper to cover the center.Measurements are 2.75" x 8.75". Glue in place.

8. This next piece is a genius moment I had with Greta a while back when she was making up these books with the pre-made SU! version.A pencil holder for the side using the Tab Punch!Punch out a tab with whatever paper you would like.Wrap punched tab around desired pencil or pen and hold to the side of the book.Slip out pencil/pen and staple in place.9. Your cover is done, you can embellish as you like. I always start out simple and then add to it later.10. Next we need tabs for the pages so that each month is easy to flip to.I used the word window punch and my Target dollar spot alphabet stamps for this part.Hint: Stamp the words first and then punch out. I thought of that after I did it the hard way!

11. Print out the inside pages from your computer on nice white cardstock, I used my cheapo Walmart stuff, it is fabulous!Then attach the tabs with glue dots to the back of each month.I envisioned the tabs would all fit to show each month, but alas November and December had to be attached behind the other months.I put the pages on their side to line up the months as best I can.12. Punch a hole with your crop-o-dile at the top right corner.It will go through the cover and all the pages in one punch!Grab your messy ribbon jar and add some to the binding clip you're using to hold the whole book together.You don't have a junky ribbon jar like me?Really?Well, this is where I keep all my little bits 'o ribbon to use for things just like this.

13. Then you'll need to do is add your friends' birthdays.I hope I have yours.14. Embellish the cover more if you like.I added that stamped cupcake from Savvy Stamps and some buttons.Ok, a lot of buttons.And a pencil, a skull pencil of course.See all the pretty tabs at the bottom, reminds me of fringe. I felt like I totally needed to add the buttons because I just got all these:I had to get them.They were totally cheap from OT.I totally thought I couldn't pass up this deal.$4 for a buttload of buttons.And while I was browsing, I found these and these.So I bought those too.That was about 1600 buttons.

But I was running low, I only had these.Oh, and these vintage babies, I had those too. Oh and I already had these too, forgot about that...

It's a sickness people, a sickness.And the fact that I am so giddy about the colors of my new buttons...well, that's just your basic insanity.

I hope the directions for the Birthday Book were clear.I know the pictures aren't the best, it is super gloomy here these days.

And if anyone wants the word doc to print out the monthly pages all you need to do is email me at spazzgirl555 at yahoo dot com with Bday Book in the subject and I will email it to ya.

21 comments:

Luv this Simone! Thanks for the tutorial...good job! Where do you get the roung binding clips to hold the books together? That may be a dumb question to some, but I don't have a clue, I've never seen these anywhere.

it is so funny that you posted this. greta and i have been talking and i told her that i am filling mine out, altering the cover of the su one, and then at the end of this month while i am off i intend on making many of the cards that i need, having them stuffed, stamped, and ready to go then that way i just need to get it in the mail!!!

By the way, my holiday cards with vellum are coming out great, and I think I have a winner in the vellum adhesive department. Of course I don't have it in front of me, so I'll let you know what I used when I post my card next week.